PhD in Political Science

The Doctoral School of Political Science was accredited by the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (HAC) in 2002. The accreditation was confirmed by the following resolutions: HAC 2009. X. 2 (2009/7/XII/2/); MAB 2014. XII. 12 (2014/10/XIV/51/2/757). The Doctoral School is registered at the HAC with number DVA1818/I/2002.

Basic Mission

The Doctoral School of Political Science (henceforth: DSPS) operates within the unit Corvinus Doctoral Schools of the Corvinus University, Budapest, under the supervision of the University Doctoral Council (henceforth: UDC). It is assisted by the staff of the Institute of Political Science and the Department of Public Economics and Public Policy. The DSPS may also invite other professors of the university and non-affiliated scholars to participate in its work. The DSPS provides the full curriculum and doctoral procedures in English.

General Rules

This part of the doctoral program comprises of four semesters. A total of 120 and a minimum of 60 credits per academic year must be earned. This part shall be completed by the comprehensive examination.

Study

• The DSPS provides mandatory and elective courses for doctoral students.
• The list of courses shall be fixed annually for the next academic year by 30th June. Exceptionally, new courses may be added to the curriculum during the academic year.
• The language of study is English. In individual cases, the Head of the DSPS may permit the usage of the Hungarian language.
• The CDS fixes the credits of courses. Normal courses (14 weeks, 90 minutes per session) are given 6 credits. Individually organized studies such as summer/winter universities, studies abroad, and the corresponding credits are justified by the Program Director. Credits earned by such studies cannot exceed 50% of the total credits earned by taking courses at the DSPS.
• Courses taught at the DSPS can be made accessible to doctoral students of other doctoral schools and the students of the DSPS can take courses for credits at other doctoral schools of the Corvinus University. In the latter case, the Program Director and the Supervisor of the student shall give prior permission.
• In exceptional cases, intensive (e.g. one week) courses can be organized, provided that the number of instructor/student contact hours is the same as in the case of normal courses.
• Syllabi and requirements of courses are supervised by the CDS.
• On an exceptional basis, the Program Director may prescribe taking graduate courses to first-year doctoral students and may permit taking such courses, provided that the mentor of the student agrees.
• If a student fails to fulfill the requirements of the course, he or she must take it again. A second failure results in ending the program.
• Total study credits must be between 48 and 60.

Research

• Doctoral students shall submit a working plan each September (See Attachment 2.) They are expected to do intensive research throughout the 8 semesters. At the end of the third and the fourth semesters, they shall submit an updated Research Plan which is based on their dissertation topic. The first Research Plan will be presented in a Research Forum, the second is part of the Comprehensive Examination.
• A total amount of 40 research credits must be earned.
• Credits shall be justified by the Program Director who may require certification of external research work.
• Credits given for publications shall be calculated according to the scores fixed in the UDR as determined in §24. (No research credits will be given for publications that appeared before this part of the doctoral program. However, all publications will be evaluated and given scores to before defense.)
• The first Research Plan must reflect on the scholarly literature of the dissertation topic and must contain clearly formulated theses. (See Attachment 1 for further assistance.) The CDS can accept or reject the Research Plan and its presentation. An accepted Research Plan is honored by 10 research credits. Attending research forums is mandatory, absenting must be permitted by the Program Director.
• Further research credits are calculated according to the following guidelines:
  • For conference/workshop presentations in native language: 3 credits (each); in a foreign language: 6 credits (each).
  • For participation at draft dissertation discussions, public defenses: 1 credit (each). Total credits cannot exceed 6 during four semesters.
  • For various scholarly activities (e.g. database construction, fieldwork, organizing conferences, making interviews, editing publications) the main rule is 1 credit for 10 hours working.